Saturday, March 27, 2010

Always in the Mood for Food!

So I was just tumbling along on this slow-moving Saturday morning, when I suddenly spotted
OMG your mouth's drooling too? It's ok, I'm glad we're all craving cupcakes so early in the morning. I was transferred from tinywhitedaisies fabulous tumblr, to the you-will-die just reading the delicious words of these recipes on Donal Skehan's, The Good Mood Food Blog. One question, where have you been all my blogging life?! But the best part? She's Irish! Alas, a girl from my homeland to shush my Italian stepdad about my heritage lacking quality food, (he's an incredible cook). Hoo-ray, we are not all meat and potatoes after all!

This dining diva whips up everything from cocktails, yes I mean martinis not just a how-to on pouring Guinness, to stiry fry, goulash, and even an Italian carbonara (ya heard Randy??).

I am super pumped to put these recipes to the test. First on the list are these Blackberry Vanilla Cupcakes, because now they're in my head and they won't leave until I have a bite. Plus, I'm thinking they might go perfect for a certain Grown Up Lady Me's belated Birthday song after Sunday dinner.

Blackberry Vanilla Cupcakes
This recipe makes delicious, light and moist cupcakes with a fruity taste.
Makes 12 cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
For the frosting: 
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons blackberry coulis
Blackberries for decoration
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180c. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.

In another bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk and blackberry coulis. Add half of the dry ingredients to the bowl of the mixer and mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in the blackberry coulis/milk mixture. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Do not over-mix.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared paper liners. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and blackberry coulis in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth and well blended. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired and garnish with fresh blackberries.
Happy Indulging Friends!

1 comment:

  1. Wow these look so scrumptious! Blackberries are so good, and the purple in them makes them look adorable too

    ReplyDelete